In the space of 180 agonising minutes, Arsenal’s dream of a quadruple has been obliterated so thoroughly that it has been reduced to a double. Two matches have cost them a shot at two trophies, and this FA Cup loss by Southampton was every bit as dismal as their Carabao Cup final defeat by Manchester City two weeks ago.
As recently as mid-March, Mikel Arteta’s team looked capable of winning it all. We are now in early April and one wonders when they will win again. Against Sporting in the Champions League on Tuesday? Against Bournemouth in the Premier League next weekend? On the evidence of their performance here, you would not bet on it.
The international break was supposed to soothe Arsenal’s pain after that Wembley defeat by City but they will now feel even worse, having been deservedly beaten by lesser opposition. It was the seventh-placed team in the Championship, rather than the Premier League leaders, who displayed the required clarity of thought, precision and composure in this quarter-final.
To be clear, Southampton were magnificent. There was far more to this result than Arsenal’s underperformance. There is a reason, after all, why Tonda Eckert’s side are now unbeaten in 15 matches in all competitions. They are the only non-Premier League team in the final four of the FA Cup but they will certainly not be regarded as pushovers. Their goalscorers, Ross Stewart and Shea Charles, produced finishes of the highest quality.
For Arteta, though, there were so many worrying aspects to this Arsenal defeat that it is difficult to know where he will start. Perhaps he will study the way in which his midfield was repeatedly carved open in the absence of Declan Rice? Or the complete ineffectiveness of Gabriel Jesus and Gabriel Martinelli in attack? How about the unforced defensive errors at the back, or the fact that Max Dowman, a 16-year-old, was the Arsenal player who demonstrated the most thrust and leadership in attack?
There can be no hiding from the reality for Arsenal: this dip in form must be addressed immediately, or there will be nothing at all to celebrate this season. There is a nine-point lead in the Premier League but City have a game in hand, and the momentum is unquestionably shifting towards Pep Guardiola’s team.
This defeat at St Mary’s meant that Arsenal have lost back-to-back games for the first time this season. Much has been made of their physical issues, especially following the 10 withdrawals from international duty over the past fortnight, but this moment in the season now represents the biggest mental test they have faced.
Perhaps Southampton sensed vulnerability, especially when they saw the much-changed nature of the Arsenal team. Jurrien Timber, Bukayo Saka and Rice were all left out because of their respective fitness issues, while William Saliba, Martín Zubimendi and Viktor Gyokeres began the night on the bench.
The result was a lack of control for the visitors, who found yellow-shirted opponents everywhere they turned. “It was at times a little bit too chaotic,” said Arsenal’s Christian Norgaard, who was too often a solitary boat in a vast ocean of midfield in the first half.
Southampton might have taken the lead twice before Stewart finally scored, as Brazilian winger Léo Scienza caused repeated problems when darting towards the penalty box. On the first occasion, he tried to win a penalty from Gabriel Magalhães. On the second, he was caught by the rapid Cristhian Mosquera just before shooting.
Arsenal had chances, too, with Martin Odegaard and Dowman both going close, but it always felt like Southampton would have more opportunities on the counter-attack. So it proved when Stewart drilled in the opener.
Southampton supporters will dwell on the ferocity of Stewart’s finish, fired low beyond Kepa Arrizabalaga. Arsenal fans will focus on the two errors leading to the goal. First by Odegaard, who surrendered the ball with a misguided backheel, and then by Ben White, who badly misjudged the cross towards Stewart.
For Arsenal there were simply too many players who were failing to reach their usual levels. Chief among them was Jesus, who had two weeks to prepare for this game but produced a performance more in keeping with a player who had run a marathon 24 hours earlier. The Brazilian was hooked after 60 minutes, with Gyokeres replacing him.
It took only seven minutes for Gyokeres to display the sort of predatory instincts and penalty-box movement that Jesus so lacked. As Kai Havertz ran in behind the Southampton defence, Gyokeres moved with instant menace. A simple tap-in made it 1-1.
But Southampton continued to push and attack, rather than settling for extra time. Tom Fellows broke forward with five minutes remaining before finding Charles, who further exposed Arsenal’s frailties with a precise and powerful finish.
Blame me, not my players, says Arteta
Mikel Arteta took full responsibility for Arsenal’s shock FA Cup quarter-final defeat at the hands of Championship side Southampton as he refused to criticise his players for their meek performance.
The Arsenal manager has overseen back-to-back defeats for the first time this season, with this dismal 2-1 loss coming after the Carabao Cup final defeat by Manchester City.
Those losses have destroyed Arsenal’s dream of winning an unprecedented quadruple and significantly raised the pressure on the Premier League leaders ahead of the defining weeks of the campaign.
Arteta said “now is the moment” for his team to stand up, as they remain in strong positions in both the Premier League and Champions League.
“I love my players,” the Arsenal manager said. “What they have done for nine months, I am not going to criticise them because we lost a game here. The way they are putting their bodies through everything, some of them probably didn’t even have to be here today.
“I’m not going to do that [blame the players]. I’m going to defend them more than ever. Someone has to take responsibility. That’s me and we have the most beautiful period of the season ahead of us. And now is the moment. In the season, you always have moments [of difficulty]. Normally two or three. This is the first moment that we have.
“In the season you have to go through periods. Some of them are difficult for whatever reason. Now we have two very disappointing results and we have to pick ourselves up. Now we have to show what we are made of and the way to do that is on the pitch.”
Arsenal were undone by excellent finishes by Southampton’s Ross Stewart and Shea Charles, as the Championship side deservedly struck a winner after Viktor Gyokeres had scored a second-half equaliser.
Arsenal’s night was made worse by an apparent injury to key centre-back Gabriel Magalhães, who limped off in the second half. The Brazilian had withdrawn from international duty with a knee problem and seemed to be clutching his knee as he was substituted here.
“I don’t know exactly what it is,” Arteta said. “We’re going to have to assess him. But obviously when a player asks him to be substituted, it’s not good news.”
Léo Scienza, the Southampton winger, said: “Amazing. There are no words to describe how much we fought today. It was not luck, we fought so hard and we deserved it. We played good, very mature.
“They are the best team in England and one of the best teams in the world right now, so it’s difficult to stop the quality they have, but we did very well. We studied a lot. We knew when to suffer. My team-mates were very cold in front of the goal to score and we deserved to win and are very happy.
“They are an amazing team. But this is the beauty of the Cup. You have a Championship team who play at home with an amazing atmosphere, our fans were unbelievable, and it’s decided in 90 minutes.”
Post-match thoughts of Mikel Arteta
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“We have to congratulate Southampton, they are going to Wembley and we are not. The team had some very good moments. We did not capitalise on those moments, and the way we conceded the goals is not at the level we have shown. That is the reason we have lost the game.”
Shea Charles speaking to TNT Sports
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— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) April 4, 2026"It's incredible. We went to Wembley a couple of years ago and won promotion there, so to go back in the FA Cup is unbelievable."
Southampton's Shea Charles reacts after a famous win ⚽
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Post-match thoughts of Southampton boss Tonda Eckert
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— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) April 4, 2026"Over the 90 minutes, it's very well deserved."
Southampton manager Tonda Eckert on a deserved win ⚽
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Former Arsenal defender Martin Keown on TNT Sports
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— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) April 4, 2026"I thought they were immense all over the pitch."
Martin Keown on Southampton's performance ⚽
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Southampton’s matchwinner Shea Charles talking to the BBC
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“I got told to come on and take hold of the game, try and keep the ball for a bit. But to score, that is special. When it came to me, I am not a striker, I just thought to find the corner. It feels like it could be a special end to the season.”
Ross Stewart, who scored Southampton’s first tonight, speaking to the BBC
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“Incredible night. Celebrations are mad. Unbelievable night for the club. We believed we could do it, and it was a great result. I give credit to the manager. Tactically, he has been incredible since he came in.
“We limited Arsenal to shots from long range. We knew Arsenal would high press, and felt like a lot of the time our out ball would be that release pass. It was about getting that balance of when to go short and long.
“We caused them problems, and I thought we had a great out ball all night. We showed a constant threat.”
Arsenal’s next five fixtures
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April 7: Sporting vs Arsenal (Champions League)
April 11: Arsenal vs Bournemouth (Premier League)
April 15: Arsenal vs Sporting (Champions League)
April 19: Manchester City vs Arsenal (Premier League)
April 25: Arsenal vs Newcastle (Premier League)
Arsenal’s defeats in their last two games have been costly, one in the League Cup final and then tonight in the FA Cup quarter-finals. In the space of 180 minutes, they have gone from competing for four trophies to two.
Alan Shearer on the BBC
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“Southampton deserve their trip to Wembley. They were absolutely magnificent and the job that Tonda Eckert has done, what a night for them.
“They still had the belief that they could go on and win this game and they did. This is not a fluke. Thoroughly deserved. What a job that Eckert has done, the belief that he has given this football club from where they were to where they are now.
“Another trip to Wembley for them.”
Quarter-final ties
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Today:
Manchester City 4 Liverpool 0
Chelsea 7 Port Vale 0
Southampton 2 Arsenal 1
Tomorrow:
West Ham vs Leeds
FT stats
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Possession: Southampton 36%-64% Arsenal
Shots: 8-23
Shots on target: 4-7
Corners: 4-9
Touches in opposition box: 20-60
Full time
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There is the final whistle and Southampton knock Premier League leaders Arsenal out. Goals from Stewart and Charles have led Southampton to the FA Cup semi-finals. In the space of two games, Arsenal have gone from an assault on all four trophies to now just two.
Que Sera, Sera rings around St. Mary’s on a famous night for Southampton.
90+5 mins: Southampton 2 Arsenal 1
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Fellows is denied by Arrizabalaga and the ball goes behind for a Southampton corner with under a minute remaining.
90+4 mins: Southampton 2 Arsenal 1
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Arsenal are awarded a free-kick before Martinelli just shoves the referee. Rightly so the Brazilian is booked as that was completely unnecessary.
Calafiori ends up having a shot from the edge of the box but blazes it high over the bar. Southampton are under two minutes away from the semi-finals.
90+3 mins: Southampton 2 Arsenal 1
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The home faithful inside St. Mary’s are making their voices heard with just three added minutes left.
90+2 mins: Southampton 2 Arsenal 1
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Martinelli drives through the Southampton half down Arsenal’s left and cuts inside onto his right to get his shot away inside the penalty area but it is a fairly simple save for Peretz.
90+1 mins: Southampton 2 Arsenal 1
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Gyokeres takes and his effort hits the wall.
90 mins: Southampton 2 Arsenal 1
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There will be six added minutes as Gyokeres and Madueke stand over the free-kick...
89 mins: Southampton 2 Arsenal 1
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How many added minutes are we going to get? You would think around five minutes.
Dowman drives through the Southampton half and is brought down by Jander, who is booked.
GOAL! Southampton back in front through Charles
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The hosts took the lead earlier, then were pegged back but now lead with five minutes of normal time remaining. Fellows cuts inside from the right and lays it across the box to Charles, who picks out the bottom corner with a clinical finish. Southampton are no more than 10 minutes including added time away from the semi-finals.
84 mins: Southampton 1 Arsenal 1
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Space opens up for Martinelli to get his shot away from the edge of the box but the Brazilian drags his effort just wide.
83 mins: Southampton 1 Arsenal 1
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Dowman receives a pass from Norgaard and has the chance to shoot from the edge of the box. The 16-year-old opens up his body and curls one towards the far corner, with Peretz making a good save diving to his right.
82 mins: Southampton 1 Arsenal 1
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As the minutes tick by with this game level, the chances of going to extra time increases, which Arsenal would ideally want to avoid with a trip to Lisbon to come on Tuesday to face Sporting in the Champions League.
Both teams have big matches on Tuesday (Southampton against Wrexham, Arsenal against Sporting CP) and neither will like the idea of extra time. I wonder if we might see a little more adventurousness in the final 10 minutes as a result.
78 mins: Southampton 1 Arsenal 1
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White brings down Edozie but still has not been booked.
A final Arsenal change see Zubimendi replace Havertz.
75 mins: Southampton 1 Arsenal 1
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Change for the home side as Charles replaces Bragg.
74 mins: Southampton 1 Arsenal 1
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Fellows stands up a dangerous cross from the right side of the box to the far post, where White is forced to put it behind for a Southampton corner. Kepa gets a glove to the delivery before Madueke clears.
72 mins: Southampton 1 Arsenal 1
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Gabriel has gone down and it appears his night is over. Saliba, who like Gabriel missed the international break, is coming on.
70 mins: Southampton 1 Arsenal 1
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Double change for Southampton as Larin and Edozie replace Stewart and Scienza.
69 mins: Southampton 1 Arsenal 1
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Southampton will rue some of those missed chances not long before Arsenal equalised.
GOAL! Gyokeres equalises for Arsenal
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The Premier League leaders are back on level terms. Havertz is played in after a clinical forward pass from Gabriel. Havertz then cuts it back into the path of Gyokeres, who finishes first time into the far corner. Could Southampton keeper Peretz have come out of his goal to make it harder for Havertz and make the German come to a decision faster?
Five goals in three games for club and country for Gyokeres, who was the hero for Sweden in the international break. That’s the sort of movement that Jesus had failed to produce.
64 mins: Southampton 1 Arsenal 0
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Painfully ineffective performance by Gabriel Jesus tonight. He’s had the whole international break to prepare for this game, to get into his best shape and to remind Arsenal of his value. No surprise at all that he’s been hooked.
62 mins: Southampton 1 Arsenal 0
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Southampton hit the bar. Scienza, probably played onside by Calafiori, is played in down the left channel and cuts inside onto his right when gets into the penalty area. He curls one towards the far corner and the shot strikes the top of the bar. Southampton inches away from doubling their advantage.
61 mins: Southampton 1 Arsenal 0
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Triple change for Arsenal as Gyokeres, Madueke and Calafiori come on. All three had interesting international breaks; Gyokeres helped Sweden qualify for the World Cup, Madueke went off injured for England whilst Calafiori’s Italy failed to qualify. Jesus, Odegaard and Lewis-Skelly head off.
60 mins: Southampton 1 Arsenal 0
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A chance for Southampton to double their lead after an Arsenal mistake. Mosquera plays a suicidal pass inside his own half, which Fellows intercepts. Fellows drives at Gabriel and gets his shot away with his right from just inside the box but he cannot keep his effort down and it goes over.
58 mins: Southampton 1 Arsenal 0
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Southampton win themselves another corner as Mosquera is forced to head behind from a dangerous cross. Manning’s inswinger is sent into a good area but Arsenal deal with the danger.
57 mins: Southampton 1 Arsenal 0
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Lewis-Skelly, who has had a poor night, is dispossessed inside the Southampton half and the hosts counter, with Fellows winning their first corner of the night off Gabriel. Scienza takes it short before getting the ball back. He then whips in a dangerous cross that is headed away.
55 mins: Southampton 1 Arsenal 0
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Is Mikel Arteta thinking of making a change or two? Nothing looks particularly imminent.
52 mins: Southampton 1 Arsenal 0
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Martinelli’s cross from the left comes all the way to Dowman beyond the far post. The 16-year-old fires a shot towards goal that is blocked.
50 mins: Southampton 1 Arsenal 0
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Odegaard clips in a free-kick from the left and Jesus flicks it on with his head but it is an easy save for Peretz. Jesus was so far out from goal that he was never going to get enough power on it to trouble Peretz.
48 mins: Southampton 1 Arsenal 0
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White brings down Scienza and is very fortunate not to be booked for cynically pulling Scienza’s shirt. White has not had a good night, being at fault for Southampton’s goal.
Second half
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We are back under way at St. Mary’s. Can Southampton hold on to cause a shock by knocking out the Premier League leaders or will Arsenal fight back to keep their assault on three fronts alive? How soon may Mikel Arteta turn to his bench, with the likes of Gyokeres and Madueke on it?
Quarter-final ties
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Today:
Manchester City 4 Liverpool 0
Chelsea 7 Port Vale 0
Southampton 1 Arsenal 0 HT
Tomorrow:
West Ham vs Leeds
HT stats
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Possession: Southampton 33%-67% Arsenal
Shots: 3-12
Shots on target: 2-4
Corners: 0-7
Touches in opposition box: 13-40
Half-time
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Norgaard takes a shot first time from the edge of the box but Peretz makes a comfortable save.
The first half is then brought to an end and Southampton lead 1-0 at the break thanks to Stewart’s goal.
45 mins: Southampton 1 Arsenal 0
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There will be one added minute at the end of this first half.
42 mins: Southampton 1 Arsenal 0
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Arsenal are rattled right now and Southampton could get another here. The home side have to pounce on this period and double their advantage when they have a great opportunity to do so.
39 mins: Southampton 1 Arsenal 0
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The ball is whipped in but Havertz heads away from danger.
38 mins: Southampton 1 Arsenal 0
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White is having a shocker at the moment as he brings Scienza down just outside the Arsenal box. Not a huge amount of contact to be honest but Southampton have a good chance of sending this into the Arsenal penalty area.
GOAL! Stewart puts Southampton ahead
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St. Mary’s erupts! The home side have caused Arsenal problems going forward and until this point had lacked the clinical edge but they take this chance. Bree is allowed to carry the ball a long way forward down Southampton’s right and he clips a cross towards the far post. White misjudges his jump and the ball goes over his head. Stewart takes one touch before firing past Arrizabalaga. Championship Southampton lead Premier League leaders Arsenal.
That’s a lovely finish by Stewart but it’s a goal that will disgust Arteta. It started with Odegaard backheeling the ball aimlessly, before White completely misjudged a simple cross. Back to back errors.
33 mins: Southampton 0 Arsenal 0
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White takes a risk with a pass back to his keeper as Steward nearly intercepted in deep inside the Arsenal penalty area but Arrizabalaga just gets to it first.
31 mins: Southampton 0 Arsenal 0
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Arsenal are just starting to ramp up the pressure on Southampton as Havertz’s shot from the edge of the box takes a big deflection off Wood and goes just wide of the far post.
30 mins: Southampton 0 Arsenal 0
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Arsenal are already up to six corners on the night and most of them have been taken short. It must have been something they have worked on but they have not created much from these short corners.
He fluffed his chance but Martin Odegaard is running this game now. The touches and flicks are coming off. Looks really sharp.
29 mins: Southampton 0 Arsenal 0
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Dowman takes on an effort from the right side of the box but it is straight at Peretz.
27 mins: Southampton 0 Arsenal 0
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The first booking of the game goes the way of the hosts as Manning brings Dowman down. There were no real complaints from Manning when the yellow card was shown.
26 mins: Southampton 0 Arsenal 0
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Both sides have now butchered great opportunities, with Odegaard the man this time to waste a brilliant chance. Martinelli gets to the byline and cuts it back into the path of Odegaard on the penalty spot. It should be buried by the Arsenal captain but the Norwegian complete scuffs his effort and it goes wide.
25 mins: Southampton 0 Arsenal 0
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Odegaard takes aim from range but is denied by a fairly routine save from Peretz.
We are yet to see a goal but it has been an entertaining first 25 minutes of this tie.
21 mins: Southampton 0 Arsenal 0
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Cristhian Mosquera provided yet another demonstration there of his extraordinary recovery pace, as Leo Scienza ran through on goal. The Arsenal defender is rapid in those long-distance sprints. It has been a real feature of his first season in English football.
18 mins: Southampton 0 Arsenal 0
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Scienza has butchered that and Southampton should be ahead. Gabriel gets a header on halfway all wrong and the ball comes off the back of his head. That presents a one-on-one chance for Scienza, who drives into the Arsenal box and tries taking it around Arrizabalaga. Scienza manages that but his touch is heavy and he slightly loses his balance, allowing Mosquera the chance to get back and steal the ball. Scienza had to score there; he probably should have just taken the shot.
15 mins: Southampton 0 Arsenal 0
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It has been a pretty open and end-to-end start to this game. Southampton are not just parking the bus and getting every man behind the ball, they are taking the game to Arsenal and having some success doing so.
13 mins: Southampton 0 Arsenal 0
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That is a waste from Azaz, who is picked out in space on the edge of the Arsenal box but his first touch is loose and then gives the ball away. Had the first touch been better, a good chance would have been forthcoming.
11 mins: Southampton 0 Arsenal 0
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Arsenal are so open in midfield when they lose the ball. Those transition moments are where Declan Rice really dominates and I would say they are missing him so far tonight. Christian Norgaard has a lot of space to cover.
10 mins: Southampton 0 Arsenal 0
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Odegaard plays a lovely ball over the top to pick out the run of Martinelli in behind. The Brazilian drives into the box and cuts inside onto his right before getting his shot away. It is blocked by Bree and loops behind for a corner.
Arsenal take it short and the ball is worked to the edge of the box, where Martinelli hits it first time towards the top corner. Southampton captain Harwood-Bellis is on hand to make a crucial block.
8 mins: Southampton 0 Arsenal 0
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Mikel Arteta has made the big call to start Arrizabalaga in goal ahead of his number one Raya. After Arrizabalaga had a tough game in the League Cup final before the international break, there is some surprise that Arteta has gone with him tonight.
6 mins: Southampton 0 Arsenal 0
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A chance for 16-year-old Dowman as he skips past a Southampton defender on halfway and drives through the hosts’ half. As he approaches the penalty area, he opens up his body and tries to curl one into the far corner but the shot does not have enough power to trouble Peretz.
3 mins: Southampton 0 Arsenal 0
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Is that a penalty for Southampton? The hosts break and Scienza is in acres of space to drive down the left. He drives into the box and cuts inside Gabriel who sticks out a leg. Scienza goes down but the appeals are waved away. That looked a good shout as Gabriel got none of the ball but VAR sticks with the original decision.
2 mins: Southampton 0 Arsenal 0
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Fellows is found in space down Southampton’s right and drives into the Arsenal box. Gabriel, who pulled out of international duty with Brazil due to injury yet starts tonight, times his sliding challenge right and dispossesses Fellows. Good one-on-one defending from the Brazilian.
Kick-off
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We are under way at St. Mary’s. Who will book their place in the semi-finals at Wembley; Southampton or Arsenal?
Nearly ready for action
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Both sides emerge from the tunnel and we are moments away from kick-off at St. Mary’s. A reminder of how the sides line up tonight:
Southampton: Peretz, Bree, Harwood-Bellis, Wood, Manning, Bragg, Jander, Fellows, Azaz, Scienza, Stewart.
Substitutes: Long, Quarshie, Romeu, Charles, Edozie, Robinson, Archer, Oyekunle, Larin.
Arsenal: Arrizabalaga, White, Mosquera, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly, Norgaard, Odegaard, Havertz, Dowman, Martinelli, Jesus.
Substitutes: Raya, Saliba, Gyokeres, Madueke, Calafiori, Zubimendi, Harriman-Annous, O’Neill, Salmon.
Mikel Arteta speaking to TNT Sports
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— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) April 4, 2026"We are desperate to go back to Wembley."
Mikel Arteta on the importance of Arsenal progressing in the FA Cup tonight ⚽
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Both Odegaard and Dowman start
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I’m looking forward to seeing how Odegaard and Dowman combine on the right side of Arsenal’s attack tonight. Odegaard is the player who usually gets the best out of the right winger (normally Saka) but he has barely played with Dowman. Before tonight, they have only been on the pitch together for nine minutes all season, which was stoppage time away to Liverpool in August.
As for Southampton, Leo Scienza is the man to watch. He’s the creative force.
Scienza starts for Southampton
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Dowman starts for Arsenal
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Arsenal starting XI
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— Arsenal (@Arsenal) April 4, 2026🔴 𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗠𝙉𝙀𝙒𝙎 ⚪️
🧱 Mosquera at the back
🔙 Odegaard returns
⚡️ Jesus leads the lineLet's book our spot in the semis, Gunners 👊
🤝 Presented by @deel
Arsenal’s last five results
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Arsenal 0 Manchester City 2 (League Cup)
Arsenal 2 Bayer Leverkusen 0 (Champions League)
Arsenal 2 Everton 0 (Premier League)
Bayer Leverkusen 1 Arsenal 1 (Champions League)
Mansfield 1 Arsenal 2 (FA Cup)
Southampton’s last five results
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Southampton 2 Oxford 0 (Championship)
Southampton 1 Norwich 0 (Championship)
Coventry 1 Southampton 2 (Championship)
West Brom 1 Southampton 1 (Championship)
Fulham 0 Southampton 1 (FA Cup)
FA Cup quarter-final lineup
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Today
Manchester City 4 Liverpool 0 (result)
Chelsea 7 Port Vale 0 (latest)
Southampton vs Arsenal
Sunday
West Ham vs Leeds
Semi-final place on the line
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A place in the FA Cup semi-finals is at stake down on the south coast as Championship Southampton host Premier League leaders Arsenal at St. Mary’s. Arsenal’s assault on all four fronts was ended just before the international break as they lost 2-0 to Manchester City in the League Cup final. They are still fighting on three fronts, nine points clear at the top of the Premier League whilst at the quarter-final stage of both the FA Cup and the Champions League. Mikel Arteta’s side have faced lower-league opposition in every round thus far, beating Portsmouth, Wigan and Mansfield to reach the final eight.
A total of 11 Arsenal players withdrew during the international break, including Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka, who left the England camp midway through the break without playing.
“We have a very good relationship and communication with most of the national teams, certainly with [England manager] Thomas [Tuchel] too,” Mikel Arteta said. “We have been extremely supportive all the time. When you have to communicate the state of every player, we are always honest and a medical decision had to be made. That was clear what the conclusion was. When you are fit and available to play for the national team, you have to play. It makes us so proud that we had that many players in the national team.
“Players are desperate to play for their nation. I know how important it is to them. We are fully supportive of that and when we can do it, we do it. You will see [how many of the players who withdrew during the international break will be involved]. I will let you do the speculation. You can judge afterwards. We are in a position right now where we need to make the strongest line-up we possibly can to win every competition. We are two or three games away from the FA Cup and we know how important that competition is for us.”
Martin Odegaard and Jurrien Timber are in contention to feature but Eberechi Eze is out with a calf injury.
Since finishing bottom of the Premier League last season, they have had a fairly chaotic season in the Championship. Will Still was sacked after just five months in charge and was replaced by Tonda Eckert, who took over with the club down near the bottom of the table. However, Eckert has helped turn their season around and they are now sixth in the Championship. They come into this game in a rich vein of form, unbeaten in their last 14 games in all competitions. They won 1-0 away at Fulham in the last round of the FA Cup to book their place in the quarter-finals.
These sides met on the final day of last season, with Arsenal winning 2-1 at St. Mary’s thanks to goals from Kieran Tierney and Odegaard. This is the sixth time these sides have met in the FA Cup, with Arsenal winning the first four of those ties but Southampton were the victors the last time these clubs met in this competition, winning 1-0 in the fourth round of the 2020/21 season. Team news to follow shortly.